Day: March 19, 2024

Temps Bottomed Out; Better Weather Ahead – 50 Fish

by Bob Maindelle

WHO I FISHED WITH:

This morning, Tuesday, March 19, I fished with returning guest, Mark KKieckhafer, who I used to work with back in my Wilsonart days over in Temple.

 

Accompanying Mark were his two brothers in law, Steve Korinek, and K.C. Ross, both from Wisconsin where, in his retirement, Steve runs a guide  service (Night Bite Fishing) on trophy walleye fishing done mainly by trolling at night.

 

Here is how the fishing went…

PHOTO CAPTION:  From left: Steve Korinek, K.C. Ross, and Mark Kieckhafer with a portion of their white bass catch.
PHOTO CAPTION: Mark landed our largest fish of the trip with this 6-pound class bluecat.
PHOTO CAPTION: K.C. landed the largest of the five hybrid which we netting today; it came on the white, 3/4-ounce Bladed Hazy Eye Slab.

WHERE WE FISHED: Lake Belton

WHEN WE FISHED: Tuesday, 19 Mar. 2024 (AM)

HOW WE FISHED: 

We had a very tough weather scenario facing us today as classic, post-frontal conditions plagued us for a full  2+ hours of our trip. During this time, the sun was bright, the temperatures were cold, and the winds were flat. Over this span of time we managed a total of 18 fish going from place to place, picking up just single digits, and then moving along, all the while using vertical tactics .

 

Finally, around 10:30, a returning South wind kicked in and within minutes we saw our results turn around as the wind continued, the bite built, and we wound up picking up a total of 50 fish by around 12:15.

 

100% of our fish today were caught on the white, 3/4-ounce Bladed  Hazy Eye Slab.  I upsized to this bait earlier this week after observing both spawning shad and adult shad being fed upon by even small white bass as fish fed on the surface late last week.

 

Our catch of 50 fish included 5hybrid striped bass, 1 blue, catfish, 1 freshwater drum, and 2 largemouth bass with the balance consisting of all legal white bass.

 

Find the 3/4-ounce Bladed Hazy Eye Slab here: https://whitebasstools.com/

 

TALLY: 50 fish caught and released 

 

OBSERVATIONS:  No spawning activity observed once again this morning thanks to a cold front over the weekend dropping this morning’s low to 39F.

WEATHER DATA:

Start Time: 7:40A

End Time: 12:15P

Air Temp. @ Trip’s Start: 39F

Elevation: 11.99 feet low, 33 CFS flow

Water Surface Temp: 61.2F on the surface.

Wind Speed & Direction: NNE0-3 mph for 3 hours, then building to SSE7 by trip’s end

Sky Condition: Clear, bluebird, post-frontal skies transitioning to 30% light white cloud cover in the last 2 hours

Moon Phase: Waxing gibbous moon at 72% illumination.

GT = 100

Wx SNAPSHOT:    

 

AREAS FISHED WITH SUCCESS:  

Best area was B0272G, which we fished as the wind began blowing for the first time all morning; everywhere else only gave up a handful of fish under tough post-frontal conditions

 

Bob Maindelle

Full-time, Professional Fishing Guide and Owner of Holding the Line Guide Service

Belton Lake Fishing Guide, Stillhouse Hollow Fishing Guide

254.368.7411 (call or text)

Website: www.HoldingTheLineGuideService.com

E-mail: Bob@HoldingTheLineGuideService.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/bobmaindelle

Twitter: www.twitter.com/bobmaindelle

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